614 DORSEYVILLE ROAD PITTSBURGH, PA 15238 BULLETIN WINTER 2 0 2 1 NATURE STORE It’s Bird Feeding Season! Visit Audubon Nature Store to shop our expanded line of feeders and accessories—and seeds—for the birds. We offer curbside pick up— or you may also purchase Beechwood Blend bird seed at your local Giant Eagle! WE CAN HELP YOU TO: • Customize a feeding station, and keep away deer and squirrels. • Choose the right seed—including our Beechwood Blend, formulated for the birds in our area! Call (412) 963-6100 with questions! BEECHWOOD FARMS NATURE RESERVE Store Hours: Tuesday–Saturday, 9am–5pm 614 Dorseyville Road in Fox Chapel We’ve broken ground on the new SUCCOP NATURE PARK In this issue: Store Hours: Tuesday–Saturday, 12–5pm Babcock Nature Center at Buffalo Creek Nature Park! 185 W. Airport Road in Butler STAFF OurJim Bonner, Executive Director Brian Shema, Operations Director BULLETIN Construction has begun on the Babcock Nature Center. After years of planning and Rachel Handel, Communications Director WINTER 2021 fundraising, numerous design and permitting challenges, higher than expected initial Sarah Koenig, Conservation Director construction bids, and yes—even a pandemic—construction on our new center in Sarver Chris Kubiak, Education Director has finally begun! Table of Contents Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania is creating a new Environmental Education and BEECHWOOD STAFF Nature Center to serve as the public hub for our Todd Nature Reserve and our conservation Scott Detwiler, Environmental Educator THIS AUDUBON VIEW 3 work throughout the Buffalo Creek Watershed. This center will continue our commitment to Samantha Ditch, Retail Manager this ecologically diverse region that began in 1942, when ASWP was donated the first parcel Gabrielle Hughes, Environmental Educator DIRECTIONS TO OUR RESERVES 3 of property that became the core of Todd Nature Reserve. Kellen McGrath, Facility Steward Roxanne Swan, Plant Center Coordinator THE EVOLUTION OF This center has been a long time in coming. Dreamed of decades ago, with real work starting almost 10 years ago, it has been a labor BUFFALO CREEK NATURE PARK 4 of love for many of us at ASWP. Todd Nature Reserve, and the entire Buffalo Creek Valley, is a magical place and one of the most important ecological regions of western Pennsylvania. During the 10 years we have been working on the project, our original plans and SUCCOP NATURE WINTER PROGRAM SCHEDULE 6–9 cost estimates have been refined and construction costs have (naturally) gone up. PARK STAFF Rich Allessi, Facility Steward KEEP SQUIRRELS FROM Making this new nature center possible is a $500,000 gift from the Babcock Charitable Trust. ASWP had raised $1.0 million for Davlin Smith, Center Coordinator EATING YOUR BIRDSEED 9 the project through our Centennial Campaign, but site conditions and escalating construction costs resulted in a project budget closer to Ryan Stauffer, Environmental Educator $1.5 million. Babcock Charitable Trust’s very generous support enables us to bring this dream to fruition. We are pleased to name the Joanne Tisdale, Audubon Nature Store PREDATORY BEETLES RELEASED TO environmental education and nature center building in their honor. CONTROL HEMLOCK WOOLLY ADELGID 10 Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania sincerely thanks the Babcock Charitable Trust, the Babcock family, and everybody that is helping to make the new center and park a reality. BOARD OF ASK THE NATURALIST 11 DIRECTORS Stay well, Robin Zacherl, President ASWP’S YEAR AT A GLANCE 12–15 Joy Borelli-Edwards, Vice President Hiller Hardie, Treasurer –Jim Virginia Lindsay, Secretary 2020 has been out-of-the- ordinary for many reasons— OUR RESERVES, NATIVE PLANT NURSERY, AND NATURE STORES Natalie Boydston including for birds. We’ve Richard Ejzak seen an eruption locally of James M. Gockley Evening Grosbeaks. These birds aren’t usually seen in BEECHWOOD FARMS NATURE RESERVE Dr. Stanley Herman 614 Dorseyville Road in Fox Chapel, Pittsburgh, PA 15238 Peggy King large numbers here—but this year is an exception. • Audubon Nature Store & Native Plant Nursery Nancy Magee Fred Peterson SUCCOP NATURE PARK Dr. Brady Porter 185 W. Airport Road in Penn Township, Butler, PA 16002 Dr. Laurel Roberts • Audubon Nature Store Doug Roth TODD NATURE RESERVE DIRECTOR EMERITI 367 Kepple Road, Sarver, PA 16055 Tingle Barnes • Buffalo Creek Nature Park: 154 Monroe Road, Sarver, PA 16055 Dotty Beckwith Dan Fales The Bulletin is published four times a year by Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania, ACCESSIBILITY INFORMATION: For accessibility needs or questions about any Nancy Fales 614 Dorseyville Road, Pittsburgh PA 15238-1618. Address correspondence to Rachel Handel, of our sites, please contact Brian Shema at (412) 963-6100 or at [email protected]. For accessibility needs or questions about any of our programs, please contact Chris Kubiak Betsey Owens Editor. The editor reserves the right to edit or reject all copy. The Bulletin is received as a membership benefit. Nonmember subscriptions are $9.00 per year. For membership, subscriptions, or address at (412) 963-6100 or [email protected]. All other questions regarding accessibility or Paul g Weigman change, contact ASWP. Printed on recycled paper. inclusion can be directed to Jim Bonner at (412) 963-6100 or [email protected]. STAFF OurJim Bonner, Executive Director Brian Shema, Operations Director BULLETIN Construction has begun on the Babcock Nature Center. After years of planning and Rachel Handel, Communications Director WINTER 2021 fundraising, numerous design and permitting challenges, higher than expected initial Sarah Koenig, Conservation Director construction bids, and yes—even a pandemic—construction on our new center in Sarver Chris Kubiak, Education Director has finally begun! Table of Contents Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania is creating a new Environmental Education and BEECHWOOD STAFF Nature Center to serve as the public hub for our Todd Nature Reserve and our conservation Scott Detwiler, Environmental Educator THIS AUDUBON VIEW 3 work throughout the Buffalo Creek Watershed. This center will continue our commitment to Samantha Ditch, Retail Manager this ecologically diverse region that began in 1942, when ASWP was donated the first parcel Gabrielle Hughes, Environmental Educator DIRECTIONS TO OUR RESERVES 3 of property that became the core of Todd Nature Reserve. Kellen McGrath, Facility Steward Roxanne Swan, Plant Center Coordinator THE EVOLUTION OF This center has been a long time in coming. Dreamed of decades ago, with real work starting almost 10 years ago, it has been a labor BUFFALO CREEK NATURE PARK 4 of love for many of us at ASWP. Todd Nature Reserve, and the entire Buffalo Creek Valley, is a magical place and one of the most important ecological regions of western Pennsylvania. During the 10 years we have been working on the project, our original plans and SUCCOP NATURE WINTER PROGRAM SCHEDULE 6–9 cost estimates have been refined and construction costs have (naturally) gone up. PARK STAFF Rich Allessi, Facility Steward KEEP SQUIRRELS FROM Making this new nature center possible is a $500,000 gift from the Babcock Charitable Trust. ASWP had raised $1.0 million for Davlin Smith, Center Coordinator EATING YOUR BIRDSEED 9 the project through our Centennial Campaign, but site conditions and escalating construction costs resulted in a project budget closer to Ryan Stauffer, Environmental Educator $1.5 million. Babcock Charitable Trust’s very generous support enables us to bring this dream to fruition. We are pleased to name the Joanne Tisdale, Audubon Nature Store PREDATORY BEETLES RELEASED TO environmental education and nature center building in their honor. CONTROL HEMLOCK WOOLLY ADELGID 10 Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania sincerely thanks the Babcock Charitable Trust, the Babcock family, and everybody that is helping to make the new center and park a reality. BOARD OF ASK THE NATURALIST 11 DIRECTORS Stay well, Robin Zacherl, President ASWP’S YEAR AT A GLANCE 12–15 Joy Borelli-Edwards, Vice President Hiller Hardie, Treasurer –Jim Virginia Lindsay, Secretary 2020 has been out-of-the- ordinary for many reasons— OUR RESERVES, NATIVE PLANT NURSERY, AND NATURE STORES Natalie Boydston including for birds. We’ve Richard Ejzak seen an eruption locally of James M. Gockley Evening Grosbeaks. These birds aren’t usually seen in BEECHWOOD FARMS NATURE RESERVE Dr. Stanley Herman 614 Dorseyville Road in Fox Chapel, Pittsburgh, PA 15238 Peggy King large numbers here—but this year is an exception. • Audubon Nature Store & Native Plant Nursery Nancy Magee Fred Peterson SUCCOP NATURE PARK Dr. Brady Porter 185 W. Airport Road in Penn Township, Butler, PA 16002 Dr. Laurel Roberts • Audubon Nature Store Doug Roth TODD NATURE RESERVE DIRECTOR EMERITI 367 Kepple Road, Sarver, PA 16055 Tingle Barnes • Buffalo Creek Nature Park: 154 Monroe Road, Sarver, PA 16055 Dotty Beckwith Dan Fales The Bulletin is published four times a year by Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania, ACCESSIBILITY INFORMATION: For accessibility needs or questions about any Nancy Fales 614 Dorseyville Road, Pittsburgh PA 15238-1618. Address correspondence to Rachel Handel, of our sites, please contact Brian Shema at (412) 963-6100 or at [email protected]. For accessibility needs or questions about any of our programs, please contact Chris Kubiak Betsey Owens Editor. The editor reserves the right to edit or reject all copy. The Bulletin is received as a membership benefit. Nonmember subscriptions are $9.00 per year. For membership, subscriptions, or address at (412) 963-6100 or [email protected]. All other questions regarding accessibility or Paul g Weigman change, contact ASWP. Printed on recycled paper. inclusion can be directed to Jim Bonner at (412) 963-6100 or [email protected]. The Evolution of BUFFALO CREEK NATURE PARK SITE PLAN Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania has long sought Although it is a beautiful site, it is also a challenging site to to have a nature center connected with Todd Nature Reserve develop. Being adjacent to a high-quality designated stream, through which we could further our mission of connecting federal, state, and local permitting requirements are significant.